All new laws start with an idea. Taking that idea to law is a long and sometimes arduous process. But if it is a good idea, taking it through the legislative process and getting it to the governor’s desk is a rewarding experience.
Granted, not all ideas are good and some that are enacted into laws prove to be not good for the citizenry. But a good idea can have good consequences for the people. A law may not pertain to everyone and can have fans and naysayers. But overall, when a new law is passed, it is more than likely the result of bipartisan efforts.
Laws start out as ideas, then are written into a bill, either in the House or Senate. The bill is sent to the appropriate committee. The committee vets the bill, addressing concerns with stakeholder groups, tweaks language and researches other like laws. If appropriate, the bill is considered in a committee.
If the bill passes out of committee, it is sent to either the House or the Senate floor for vote. Amendments can be considered. If a positive vote is given on the floor, the bill is sent to the other chamber. If the bill receives a positive vote in both chambers, it is sent to the governor’s desk for signature. It then becomes a law.
Any losing votes in either chamber will kill the bill. And the governor can also veto a bill he does not like.
All in all, the vast majority of bills that make it to the governor’s desk take years to get there.
As an example, Pennsylvania, like other states, has what are called “blue laws.” Certain activities were prohibited on Sundays, which were considered days of rest. But as our society changed, many of these laws were repealed. Some, however, remain. For example, Pennsylvanians still cannot buy a car on a Sunday.
Until several years ago, we could not hunt on Sundays. There were several reasons behind this, one being that Sundays were family days. Other reasons were to give hunters and wildlife a rest. It was also considered a time to give non-hunters a chance to be in the outdoors without engaging hunters.
But again, times have changed. Because women and men work, stores are open on Sundays to make shopping more convenient. Entertainment venues are open. All levels of sports take place on Sundays.
So the question came up — why not Sunday hunting?
Several years ago, the Legislature approved limited Sunday hunting. This worked out well and was well received by a great number of hunters, to the point that many wanted Sunday hunting expanded to any Sunday.
Bills were written in the House and Senate, and agreements were reached on language. As the chair of the House Game and Fisheries Committee, I was integrally involved with many meetings, discussions and negotiations to bring this change to fruition. The final bill came out of the House and was approved by the Senate. Last week, The governor signed the bill into law, enabling the Game Commission to add Sundays to hunting seasons at its discretion.
A great number of people approve of Sunday hunting. Many, though, want Sunday to remain a day of rest, and many who do not partake in hunting want Sundays to remain open for other outdoor activities.
The facts are that even if the Game Commission adds Sundays to hunting seasons, not everyone has to allow it. Private landowners can post their property as they see fit. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources controls state parks and can allow or disallow hunting as it sees fit.
All in all, restricting activities on a day of the week, only because it is a Sunday, no longer makes sense in our ever-changing society. We do just about everything on Sundays that we do every other day of the week. So again, why not hunting on Sundays?
For more information, contact my office at 412-264-4260 for assistance.
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